Application rates for two-room flexi flats dropped from a high of 37.6 per flat in 2013 to around 4.2 in 2018.

The application rates among singles for two-room flexi flats have dropped from a high of 37.6 per flat in 2013 to around 4.2 in 2018, reported Channel NewsAsia citing the Housing and Development Board (HDB).

This comes as the annual average supply of two-room flexi flats in non-mature estates has been maintained at about 4,000 from 2014 to 2018.

In July 2013, first-timer single buyers aged 35 and above were allowed to purchase new two-room flexi flats within non-mature estates as part of efforts by the government to provide more housing options for such buyers.

HDB revealed that some 14,500 singles have booked a flat since, of which 6,200 have already collected the keys to their new unit as of end-December 2018.

Meanwhile, about 9,200 of the successful single applicants have benefitted from one or both of the housing grants available to them – the Special CPF Housing Grant and the Additional CPF Housing Grant. A single buyer can receive grants of up to $20,000 from each of these.

“HDB will continue to monitor the demand and calibrate its supply of two-room flats to better meet the housing needs of this group,” said HDB.

Learn how to get your own BTO flat from application to key collection with PropertyGuru.

Romesh Navaratnarajah, Senior Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories, email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg